As Irma took aim at our boat, we did all that we knew how to do. Extra lines, slack lines,, spring lines, every where there are lines… In the 10 years we have lived aboard this is the very first time I was seriously concerned that our boat would not still be here after the storm…

And as the sun rose, and amidst the destruction that we saw, one thing stands out, still fresh in my mind. A picture friends took of our boat as they checked there own, floating as we left her three days before.

Thanks to the help of some very good friends (Bob, Drew, Richard, Brian to mention a few) the boat survived, but many didn’t…

We lost over 7 boats in our marina to Irma. Good friends Dave and Marilyn was stuck in St Thomas and their 44 ft Wellington “Kelsea C” sailboat was destroyed in 185mph winds. Art and Sherry was docked in Key West with the 48 ft Ocean “Damage Control” and was unable to out run the wrath of Irma, is damaged but still floating. They are stuck on the wrong side of the island chain and have not been able to get to their boat to prevent further loss.

As I looked back over the last week, recalling the wondering if we were really ready for the storm, and if we were gonna have to start all over.

So late Monday, as the last gusts of Irma was still whipping around, the group of friends from Dock 4 got together, splashed a little rum, cursed the name Irma, and poured a little spirits to Neptune for protecting our ships.

Now let’s hope all in the keys a swift and speedy recovery, Key West gets back to normal, and pray Neptune as taken his allotted quota of boats for many a year to come…